Cottaer Spitzberg
View from the southwest to the Cottaer Spitzberg
The Cottaer Spitzberg is a 390.8 meter high basalt knoll on the western edge of Saxon Switzerland. Since 1979, the mountain is because of its geological and botanical features as surface natural monument under protection.
Location
The former also Cottaer tip -called mountain is located on the plateau between the valleys of God Leuba in the east and the stretcher in the West. It towers above the lying directly on its northern foot village Cotta and the surrounding area by at least 70 meters and occurs as a significant landmark in the landscape in appearance.
Geology
The result is the Cottaer Spitzberg at tertiary breakthrough of basalt through the Cretaceous sandstone sediments of the Elbe Sandstone Mountains. In a geologically largely dominated by sandstone, granite and gneiss environment thus represents the mountain represents a geological feature
Here he falls into a series patch volcanic Härtlingsgipfel, of which the Stolpener Castle Hill, Wilisch and Geising are the best known. On the rocky summit of Mount Spitz the gray- black columns of Trachytbasaltes are open. They protrude about 30 cm thickness almost straight up and were worn extensively by a quarry operation in the 19th century. Get remained a remnant of the summit because a Triangulationssäule the Central European arc measurement or Saxon land surveying had been built on this 1865.
Botanical features
Even plants geographically the Cottaer Spitzberg is significant. However, the quarry operation has limited the diversity of the local flora. Species such as the Schwertblättrige helleborine, Fringed Pink or Bristly Bellflower among the former occurring, but not any more existing species. Nevertheless, the Spitzberg continues to be a botanically interesting habitat represents a oak-hornbeam forest (including small-leaved linden, maple, sycamore, ash) is located on the north side interspersed with species such as the lung herb. In addition, the sun-exposed mountain is also habitat for some heat-loving species such as the Colorful Kronwicke and the silver cinquefoil.
History
1865 was a Triangulierungssäule on the Cottaer Spitzberg for the Saxon land surveying. Early 1960s, was built at the peak of the Cold War on the east side of the mountain, a small bunker. Here an atomic bomb attack on Dresden should flee the regional leadership of the district Pirna in case. On the Dresden facing west side, an observation point is set up.
View
Even from time immemorial is the Cottaer Spitzberg a popular destination because of the treeless in the top basalt summit provides a comprehensive and partly restricted only at close range visibility. In good conditions, the view towards
- North: Pirna to the Lusatian mountains,
- North West: over the Elbe valley boiler,
- West and South of the Elbe valley Slate Mountains to the Kamm,
- East: on the Gottleubatal on the mesas of Saxon Switzerland and the volcanic cones of the Bohemian Uplands.
Looking north ( Pirna and Elbe Valley )
View to the West ( Cotta and foothills of the eastern Ore Mountains )
Foresight